He seated himself in the _boudoir_ after he had looked the vessel over, and gave himself up to the reflections of the hour. He could hardly believe that he was the sole owner of such an elegant and powerful steamer, and he was delighted with the programme which the commander had laid out for his education and recreation. But before all, the steamer was to be used to reclaim his mother from the possession of Scoble, and he could not think of anything else seriously until this duty had been fully discharged. Captain Ringgold came into the _boudoir_ just as the cabin steward rang a bell in the companion-way. It was half an hour before dinner, at six o’clock, and the owner thought he was hardly in condition to go to the table, for he had put on his every-day clothes for the work in which he had been engaged. His valise had been put in his stateroom, and he considered it incumbent upon him to dress in a style becoming the owner of such a steam-yacht. “We are making sixteen and a half knots just now, Louis, which is half a knot better than her former owner claimed for her,” said the captain, as he seated himself opposite Louis. “But when shall we catch up with the Maud? That is the one question of interest to me now,” asked Louis. “The Guardian-Mother will hardly overhaul her for forty-eight hours, for she had a fair and fresh wind for about two days,” replied Captain Ringgold. “Don’t be impatient, Louis, for I think that within three days we shall have your mother on board.” “Don’t forget to bring off Felix McGavonty with her, for he is to be the companion of my voyages as well as my mother.” “You may be sure that I will not forget him, my boy; besides, I am inclined to think you will have a hand in the final work of the present expedition.” “I certainly shall if I am permitted to do so. But it is time for me to dress for dinner, for I am hardly in condition to show myself at the table,” added Louis, as he rose from his chair and went below. His stateroom was the forward one on the starboard side, while the one on the opposite side was reserved for Mrs. Belgrave. Before he opened his valise, he had to look the room over. Its comforts and conveniences, as well as its elegance, filled him with delight. He could not banish his mother from his mind, and he thought how amazed and enraptured she would be when she took possession of the corresponding apartments on the port side. In the bath room he found hot and cold water at the bowl. He had hardly entered it before the electric lights flashed a flood of brilliancy into both rooms. He dressed himself in his best clothes, and at the sound of the bell went out into the main cabin, where dinner awaited him. The captain was not there, neither was Mrs. Blossom, who was nominally a stewardess. “Sparks, where is the captain?” asked Louis with all the _sang froid_ he could command. “On deck, I think, sir,” replied the steward.